Dear Friend of Ujima,
Please disregard any rumor that Ujima Company, Inc. is closing.
We are not closing.However, recent events involving the City of Buffalo have
put our 2002-2003 season in jeopardy. The purpose of this letter is to inform
you of the situation, provide some background and to ask for your assistance
in resolving this matter.
The first problem involves the City’s decision to cut all funding support for
cultural organizations. This decision cost Ujima $30,000 in anticipated
funding and precipitated staff layoffs just before the end of last season. We
barely sustained the impact of this blow but, thanks to you, we had an
excellent year at the box office.
Last year we completed the first phase of our renovation project with the
installation of an elevator, an upgrade to the electrical, and other structural
changes that were required. The City has now decided that before a
Certificate of Occupancy is issued for our continued use of the theater as a
public meeting space, we must meet certain NEW requirements. These
requirements must be completed before we will be allowed to open the
2002-2003 season. Our architect, Bonnie Foit Albert & Associates, has
determined that the changes will cost approximately $20,000. This would
have been a stretch for our organization in the best of times, but the
combined blows from the City have proven to be a knockdown for the
theater.
The end result is that Ujima is in desperate need of $50,000 to insure that
our season will open on time.We are down but we are not out. We provide
a wide variety of services to Erie County and will continue to do
so whether or not we are able to provide our traditional season of five plays.
If we are unable to open our season in September, we will continue to work
on solving the problems that prohibit our opening on time and
we will produce this season.
We will be working throughout the summer to raise the required funds and
to make the required changes to our facility. If you are in a position to make
a financial contribution, please do so. No donation is too small. If you are
able to assist us in our appeal to others, please let us know. We need all of the
help we can get. Thank you for the consideration of this request.
The struggle continues unabated,
Lorna C. Hill
Ujima Company, Inc. (aka) Ujima Theatre Co.